Acrylic nail consent form: odor, allergy, fills and safe removal
The first thing a new acrylic client notices is the smell. The second, usually a day later, is that her new length feels heavy. Neither is a problem, but both become one if nobody mentioned them. An acrylic consent form is where you say the ordinary things out loud, so the unusual ones stand out when they happen.
This exact form is built into SlickChart: send it to your client's phone to sign before her set, and the acrylic aftercare goes home with her.
What acrylic is, and how long it takes
My form opens with a plain description: liquid and powder blended into a bead and sculpted over the nail or a tip for length and strength. A full set takes about 1.5 to 2.5 hours, a fill about 60 to 90 minutes. The box says outright that there is a strong odor and that we ventilate.
It also explains how acrylic lasts: it grows out with the nail, fills come every 2 to 3 weeks, and removal is an acetone soak, never prying. She checks today's service from full set, fill, overlay, tips, sculpted on forms or soak-off removal.
Odor and ventilation get their own section
Most consent forms bury fumes in the risk list. Mine gives them a box she reads and confirms:
We use MMA-free, EMA-based liquid and table ventilation; its safety sheet is yours to read.
The same box asks anyone pregnant, asthmatic or sensitive to fumes to check with their doctor first. If your liquid or setup differs, the box should say what you actually use.
The risk list
The risks, in client language:
- An allergy to acrylates in the liquid, even after years of use.
- Eye, nose or throat irritation, or a headache, from the odor.
- Nail thinning from picking, prying or improper removal.
- Soreness or pressure for a day after a new set.
- Itching, redness or blisters near the nails, face or eyelids.
- Lifting, cracks or breaks, especially at long lengths.
- Infection if lifting is ignored and moisture is trapped.
- UV lamp exposure when a gel top coat is used, with SPF offered.
The health and nail check
Twelve items, including two that are specific to acrylic: asthma or sensitivity to fumes, and enhancements from another salon. The rest cover fungus on nails or skin, eczema or psoriasis on the hands, lifting or a dark streak, a sore or swollen nail fold, a past reaction to acrylic or gel, diabetes or poor circulation, pregnancy or breastfeeding, broken skin or warts, an acrylate allergy from dental or medical work, and blood thinners or chemo.
The other salon item matters because you may be working over product you did not apply. A checked item opens a conversation about changing the plan or rescheduling; it is not a diagnosis, and anything medical belongs with her doctor. For clients who check a past reaction, see my nail allergy and reaction form post.
What she agrees to
The acknowledgements turn aftercare into commitments:
- She has shared her full health, medication and nail history, including past reactions to nail products.
- She will speak up right away if her eyes, nose or throat feel irritated, or her skin stings, burns or gets hot.
- If itching, redness, swelling or blisters appear, she stops acrylic services and sees a doctor or dermatologist.
- She books a fix for lifting or breaks within 5 to 7 days, and will not glue, pry, clip or bite her nails at home.
- Removal is an acetone soak by a professional, and removing another salon's enhancements carries a fee under your policy.
Photos for her private record are required, social media only with her separate OK, and deposits and fees follow your policy, with price changing for length, shape or art.
Aftercare for a set that keeps growing
My acrylic guide walks the cycle:
- First 24 hours: a faint product smell and a heavy or tight feel are normal. Cuticle oil tonight, gloves for chores, no hot tubs or saunas.
- Week 1: oil daily, dry hands well, and treat nails as jewels, not tools.
- Weeks 2 and 3: a gap shows at the cuticle and the weight shifts toward the tips. Book the fill, and come in for any lifting edge rather than gluing it.
- Fill time: without a fill, nails get top-heavy and more likely to crack. Never pry, peel or bite them off.
One practical tip I like: if a nail breaks, keep the piece, file it smooth and call. The call-me list covers a rash around the nails, a gap under the acrylic, swelling or blisters on fingertips, face or eyelids, and a green or dark spot. Trouble breathing means 911.
Questions to decide for your own practice
- Will you do a fill over another salon's work, or only a removal and new set?
- How will you record the liquid, powder and length you used? (Here is what to record in a client chart.)
- What does your state board require? Consent rules, product rules and scope of practice vary by state, so check with yours. This post is not legal or medical advice.
Use this form with your clients
SlickChart has this exact acrylic nail consent and aftercare built in for subscribers. The form goes to the client's phone to sign before the visit, or she signs on your device at the table, and any contraindication she checks is flagged for you. The aftercare lands in the client's own app, styled with your logo, and it all works alongside the Square account you already have. If that would save you paperwork, try SlickChart.
Prefer paper? The printable acrylic nails set, with the consent form, protocol and aftercare, is in my Etsy shop, ready to print or edit in free Canva.